The Sunday News
Raisedon Baya
I AM a serious member of several social media groups, particularly WhatsApp groups. I am a member of three soccer groups on WhatsApp and about five arts and culture groups and it is no coincidence that I only belong to soccer and arts groups only.
These are my two passions, the ones that drive my life. Of course there are a few hazards that come with social media. Phone batteries do not last long, occasional fights with wife and friends about spending too much time on the phone and other hazards one cannot mention here.
However, I have discovered interesting things about life, arts and soccer on these groups. I have actually discovered that there are too many serial liars; too many experts on anything; too much bootlicking; and too much time spent on talk but little action on most of these platforms I am part of.
The three soccer groups I belong to are dominated by Manchester United fans. These talk too much. Funny enough some friends of mine, known Chelsea fans, are very quiet these days. I guess they are not used to their team losing so many matches in a season and spending the first half of the season almost at the bottom of the log. But then thus the excitement of the English Premier League. There are so many experts here. Experts on human behaviour. Experts on football business. Expert coaches. One can spend days after days listening to these experts. I could tell you more about these soccer groups but we all know this is not a soccer column but an arts and culture space. So to the arts we go.
The arts groups I belong to are very crazy, very funny and lively. Every day is debate day. Some very insightful and fruitful and some, well, some never go anywhere. To be honest some are just started by bored people who come to the groups to push time. It is the insightful ones that I want to focus on.
One topic continue to recur in these groups. How do artistes monetise their art? In other ways how should artistes turn their art into business? This has been an interesting topic for many years. I remember the likes of British Council and Culture Fund even supporting workshops on entrepreneurship in the arts. The business of arts. Realising the full potential of the creative economy.
So many theories and suggestions have been thrown at artistes in the name of creative entrepreneurship but nothing tangible has come out so far. It is no secret that artistes are still finding it hard to make business from their art, even after dozens of workshops on entrepreneurship.
In Bulawayo the talk borders more on why Bulawayo people do not support local artistes and yet go out in numbers when artistes from South Africa or Harare come into town. The reasons put forward vary.
Some believe Bulawayo people have no money to spend on the arts. Others say it is the artiste’s fault. They say there is little relevant and good local content for Bulawayo people to love and support.
Another group believe Bulawayo arts products are poorly packaged and are not being sold properly. Good ideas have come from all directions on how to improve the current situation, good suggestions on how Bulawayo artistes can kick-start successful careers in their chosen fields.
But frankly speaking I haven’t seen these good ideas come into action. Every day we talk. We post in our groups. We quote big names, successful people. We come with beautiful words and theories. Rebrand. Advertise. Involve as many people as possible. Monetise your arts. Be creative entrepreneurs. Make it work for you. Unfortunately the beautiful talk remains nothing but talk. And we all know how cheap WhatsApp talk is. Too cheap, if you ask me.
On a different note the Memory Kumbota- directed physical play The Taking is coming back for another show at Bulawayo Theatre on 11 December at 6pm. The play has performed to critical acclaim everywhere it has gone. The Taking performed at Hifa and Protest Arts Festival in Harare. It is coming back courtesy of Nhimbe Trust and Africalia Belgium’s decentralisation project. Catch the play on the 11th at Bulawayo Theatre.
